CONCORD – The State Employees' Association of New Hampshire (SEA) quickly responded to Governor Maggie Hassan's budget address earlier this morning. “We were encouraged by what the Governor had to say,” said Diana Lacey, SEA President. “We commend Governor Hassan for putting forth a budget that is focused on moving NH families, businesses and communities forward. For too many years, the state budget has been eroding the building blocks that made the Granite State one of the best places to live and raise a family. The overall tone of Governor Hassan's speech indicates she has a clear understanding of how to leverage our precious resources to bring maximum value to the people of NH. It is no small feat to stand before the state as a new Governor and call for policy makers to move the state forward and out of one its darkest periods.”

Lacey said many topics in the Governor's address paralleled the SEA's Granite Strong Vision adopted by the organization last year. “As public and private sector workers who serve our fellow citizens in the delivery of critical services, we have intimate knowledge of what is needed to improve the quality of life in NH, and we know how dedicated the people of NH are to making this the best state it can be,” she said. “We embraced our experience and charted this vision to guide us in our own efforts to strengthen NH's future”

Governor Hassan acknowledged the state need to increase revenue and presented a number of options to do so including expanded gaming, competitively improving the tobacco tax and increasing the Department of Revenue's staffing to achieve an additional $26m in revenue.

The SEA is heartened by Hassan's commitment to fund NH's highest priorities including addressing the high cost of uncompensated health care by participating in Medicaid Expansion, addressing critical services within our mental health system, investing in our crumbling infrastructure, as well as deepening our commitment to education, public safety, our environment and honoring our veterans. “The Governor has engaged in a thoughtful process in crafting this budget. We stand ready to work with her on moving NH forward, and seeking out innovation that weaves together Granite Strong priorities and our precious state resources – including our own working families and their contributions to the economy and state.”